240z_808 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 here's a list of engines i am considering for my 1972 240z. i know i want something that can reliably push 300+hp. i'll settle for a little less from the stroker just because of the sound of those carbs and the over-all nostalgia. i'm so torn, i'd hate to spend ~$8000 (practically max out the l-series engine) and feel unpowered in a year or two. with the SR i get great power, light-weight, almost unlimited part selection but that awkward gap (personal preference for the z) in the engine bay. the RB would give amazing power, but at a cost. remember, i want this to be reliable so i'm gonna do a rebuild regardless. i know there's a lot more involved with these swaps like fuel upgrade, tuning, custom driveshaft, clutch, etc but i just put together a simple list. i don't need a 10-second car, but i want something extremely fun to drive on the streets, that should do sub-13 seconds down the 1/4 mile with supporting mods. so which would you choose....and why? SR20DET: *Mckinney Mount Kit $0600 *Engine $2000 *Machine Work $0500 *Forged Pistons and Rods $0800 *Gasket Kit $0300 *Brian Crower Camshafts $0300 *Titanium Springs/Retainers $0200 *GT3071R Turbo (w/ manifold, d/p, etc) $2000 *720cc Injectors $0300 *Electromotive Tec3 Stand-Alone $2000 *Odds and Ends $0500 *Total $9500 Estimated Horsepower: 350-450 RB25DET: *Mckinney Mount Kit $0600 *Engine $3000 *Machine Work $0600 *Forged Pistons and Rods $1200 *Gasket Kit + Greddy Timing Belt $0600 *GT3076R Turbo (w/ manifold, d/p, etc) $2000 *850cc Injectors $0500 *Electromotive Tec3 Stand-Alone $2000 *Odds and Ends $0500 *Total $11000 Estimated Horsepower: 425-525 RB20DET: *Mckinney Mount Kit $0600 *Engine $1500 *Machine Work $0600 *Forged Pistons and Rods $1200 *Gasket Kit + Greddy Timing Belt $0600 *GT3071R Turbo (w/ manifold, d/p, etc) $2000 *720cc Injectors $0500 *Electromotive Tec3 Stand-Alone $2000 *Odds and Ends $0500 *Total $9500 Estimated Horsepower: 325-425 L31 STROKER: *F54 Block $0300 *P90 Head $0400 *V07 Crankshaft $0500 *Machine Work $1000 *9mm 240Z Rods $0300 *Arias Forged Pistons $0700 *Aftermarket Camshaft $0300 *Kameari Twin Idler Gear $0700 *Gasket Kit $0500 *Triple 45 Carbs $1500 *Electromotive XDI $0800 *Odds and Ends $0500 *Total $7600 Estimated Horsepower: 250-335 L31 STROKER (Pre-Built Ebay): *F54/P90/V07 Pre-Built $4000 *Aftermarket Camshaft $0300 *Kameari Twin Idler Gear $0700 *Triple 45 Carbs $1500 *Electromotive XDI $0800 *Odds and Ends $0500 *Total $7800 Estimated Horsepower: 220-335 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockerstar Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 No v8 love?! Out of those options here would be my preferences: 1. RB25DET 2. RB20DET 3. L31 4. SR20DET 5. L31 - prebuilt From looking at your built lists, it looks like there is a lot of room for you to cut down on costs if you don't want to be going so extreme 300whp can come A LOT cheaper than $11,000! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade_Charlie Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 300rwhp reliable, vg30 or vg33 <<<<< but out of your list... I like the sr20, light, powerful, leaves lot of room in the engine bay and makes for a good CoG, although I think 350-450 can be done for cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedNeckZ Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 The choice is something we can not do for you. There are so many other engines and factors you could go for, that it is almost impossible for us to pick. Your choices are what you would like to have. But the cost is something you have to live with (don't forget the hidden costs). Search this site and it will give you a lot of info on all of the engines you want. Then you take that info, sit down and take a hard look at what you can do with what you have and pick the engine to go with. I am getting ready to see if I can fit a 401 AMC engine into the bay of a 71 Z. The fitment isn't that hard for me. The hard part is the transmission choice. It is going to cost me some money to have the parts made to fit most of the modern transmissions behind the engine block. It will have some good horse power, but I am looking for something that is driveable and reliable at the same time. Also the about cost, is it worth the money you will be spending on it (engine only). Or can it be spent on better things (handling and brakes). Only you can decide that, we all would like to have the baddest ride out there or close to it. But the cost of it will not allow it to happen for most of us. That is also part of the reason most people go with the V-8 choice. Per cost for horsepower, it can't be beat. You can add so much to engines now days that all it takes is money. Power can be payed for, but it doesn't make it last any longer. So look the site over (read and study) and then make your own choice. Good Luck, Rich. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomnn Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 2jz-gtte !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1CNAR Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 my z has an rb26dett decked to the max i have a ton of money in it the 2jz in a z is amazing i drove around with a guy in the local z club who had a 1jz and he was the only car there who could keep up with me dont go v8 heavy akward and american keep it foreign i would go with a rb or the sr both great choices if you go with the sr go black top more money totaly worth it hard to find thou thats the real deal silva sr good luck if you have any questions with either of thouse swaps ive done both Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtmny1999 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 my z has an rb26dett decked to the max i have a ton of money in it the 2jz in a z is amazing i drove around with a guy in the local z club who had a 1jz and he was the only car there who could keep up with me dont go v8 heavy akward and american keep it foreign i would go with a rb or the sr both great choices if you go with the sr go black top more money totaly worth it hard to find thou thats the real deal silva sr good luck if you have any questions with either of thouse swaps ive done both Huh, there is nothing wrong with V8's, they are NOT much heavier than an RB, maybe even lighter. I say go RB25det Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frosty383 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 find yourself a 1996 GM 5.7 ltr TBI motor. these come with the L31 vortec heads. slap on an edelbrock airgap, freshen the valve springs to anything above 520 lift and below or at 600 lift, throw in a comp extreme energy cam at around 485 lift, top it off with a holley 650 DP mech secondaries and a pro billet mech advance dizzy with an MSD 6al. powerful and dead reliable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evildky Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 L28ET, just add a larger turbo and injectors and you're there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midnight-280Z Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I personally go with a RB here's why- 1. Nissan and Nismo parts availability 2. NisTune 3. Reliability 4. Newer than most engines (depends on which RB you get) 5. Still a 6 banger 6. Preference 7. Potential 8. "I got a RB" I didn't do a rebuild but I spent about 6-7K on my RB swap. I do have Nismo Goodies too...It's hard to get Nismo parts for such an old car these days. A lot of people don't give credit to NisTune also, finding someone who can use NisTune is hard. I would keep everything as much Nissan as I can. V8's and 2JZ are great but I'm trying to go with a Nissan theme. Remember if you do the swap yourself you will save thousands of $$$$ to dump else where...Which will end up being cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 my z has an rb26dett decked to the max i have a ton of money in it the 2jz in a z is amazing i drove around with a guy in the local z club who had a 1jz and he was the only car there who could keep up with me dont go v8 heavy akward and american keep it foreign i would go with a rb or the sr both great choices if you go with the sr go black top more money totaly worth it hard to find thou thats the real deal silva sr good luck if you have any questions with either of thouse swaps ive done both Grammar, punctuation ,and spelling please! Read the rules. Also, you're opinion regarding the V8 is very 1970s. A lot has happened in the V8 world since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktm Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I would go LS1 or LS2 personally. I have an L28ET setup pushing an estimated 410 wheel ft-lbs. Stock head, stock block, T03/04E 50 trim, methanol injection, aftermarket EMS, stock N42 intake. Your stated power for the stroker is incorrect, especially for the money you cited. Saying that, the LS1/LS2 make great power out of the box, aftermarket part availability exceeds everything on your list, reliable, not any heavier than an L28 or RB25, and safe to tune. When pushing for big power via forced-induction, you are running at the ragged edge. Tuning is more important than anything. Lean out at high boost just once and you can blow a head gasket or worse. In retrospect I wish I would have gone LS1/LS2 as I have more money in my setup than such a swap would have cost. my z has an rb26dett decked to the max i have a ton of money in it Your profile says its N/A and stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BobDigi5060 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Aside from any L series swap or build.. Which engine including the v8s requires the least amount of fabrication, "hassle" and overall cost? Same goes for S130s right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Ive done a Rb20...its great, I love it but if I was to do it again...RB25 for sure! The 25s are a lot cheaper now and they can be built real strong. And its a modern NISSAN 6 banger. Ive also done the L31 ...great setup, had a lot of fun with the torque .....but it was a bit racy for my older ars. LOL The RB is a modern computer contolled fuel efficient smooth engine that is true to the original intent! Why pick the SR 4 banger when you can have a smoother 6 shot. Get the water cannon ready for the flames. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 why build any I6 when you could install a decent chevy V8 with near 400 cubic inches and make 450-500 hp without half trying, and probably cheaper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I am curious why you seem to presume that a stroked out L series would have to be carubureted AND naturally aspirated... a stroked low boost L series running TEC3 should be a BREEZE to get to 300 horses. I would also bet that you should be able to get the head and the block for under the prices you listed. Swap out your $1500 carbs for a set of ITBs (say, Accurate Injection units, thats right about what they cost) and then get a turbo and manifold (there is a group buy in the works for a turbo manifold BTW) and you are set. Or you could simply stick with a stock L28ET bottom end, with some nice pistons and maybe an overbore to 88 or 89 mm if you want. 89mm bore gives you 2.949 liters on a 280 crank, 2.88 liters for an 88mm bore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 It's sentimental...replace a 6 cylinder with a much improved 6 cylinder. Why not a Chevy V8...its not part of the question.... And I continue to believe that 500hp does not make a great street machine out of a car thats less than 2400 pounds and nearly 40 years old. But thats me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240z_808 Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 Your stated power for the stroker is incorrect, especially for the money you cited. please correct me, i want a real-world idea of the hp/torque numbers for a stroker. and please correct my price, keep in mine i'm in hawaii so although i can buy a f54 block for $100, it'll cost me $250 just to ship it here from the west coast. i'd like to keep this an all nissan/datsun car. i know the "best bang for buck" would be a v8 or l28t. if i keep the l-series (l31), i'd like to keep it n/a and carbed, again for the nostalgia. if i wanted to covert to fuel injection, i'd swap in a rb25de with itb's, cams and a good tune (would probably push close to or as much hp as the stroker without spending all that money on the build). if i go forced induction, it'll be a SR or RB. i like that the RB because it's still an inline-6. but building a solid SR is easy and cost efficient. with the custom l31 set-up i listed above, what kind of numbers can i expect to see? how's about adding nitrous (75-100hp progressive shop) to a triple carbed stroker...i could live with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade_Charlie Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I personally go with a RB here's why- 1. Nissan and Nismo parts availability 2. NisTune 3. Reliability 4. Newer than most engines (depends on which RB you get) 5. Still a 6 banger 6. Preference 7. Potential 8. "I got a RB" I didn't do a rebuild but I spent about 6-7K on my RB swap. I do have Nismo Goodies too...It's hard to get Nismo parts for such an old car these days. A lot of people don't give credit to NisTune also, finding someone who can use NisTune is hard. I would keep everything as much Nissan as I can. V8's and 2JZ are great but I'm trying to go with a Nissan theme. Remember if you do the swap yourself you will save thousands of $$$$ to dump else where...Which will end up being cheaper. I like Nistune, I already have a chiped ecu which I will be able to use in my 300zx and s30, which is why im going with the vg30et(or 33, found one for 200 might be picking it up!). I just like the VG its reliable, cheap, some after market parts out there, but you don't need much for power. Just custom sheet metal intake(or gutted), and your pretty much set. And I would imagen it wouldn't be hard to wire up a vg30 in a s30(people put z31 ecus in them). Plus I like the idea of V motors in the s30, it leaves a lot of room left, I like the l28 but not a fan of how much room it takes up and all that wasted room on the passenger side. And its Nissan. I personally wouldn't touch any other Nissan motors with a stick if the vg30 can be used. But that is just me and my opinion, I am sure you will pick whats best for you. I still like the SR out of your list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rk2334 Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 here's a list of engines i am considering for my 1972 240z. i know i want something that can reliably push 300+hp. i'll settle for a little less from the stroker just because of the sound of those carbs and the over-all nostalgia. i'm so torn, i'd hate to spend ~$8000 (practically max out the l-series engine) and feel unpowered in a year or two. with the SR i get great power, light-weight, almost unlimited part selection but that awkward gap (personal preference for the z) in the engine bay. the RB would give amazing power, but at a cost. remember, i want this to be reliable so i'm gonna do a rebuild regardless. Go with 2jz gte better. it gives 300hp without tuning if you just add single turbo like T 88, 1000cc injectors, 272 camshaft, polished head, and computer standalone like motec, with methanol injection. you will reach 800+ whp easily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.